The Taliban have shut down internet and mobile network services across Afghanistan since Monday. According to news website KabulNow, fiber-optic internet services were disrupted in several cities including Kabul, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Uruzgan.
After this, mobile data continued to work for some time, but eventually stopped due to signal towers going down. According to media reports, this decision was taken to stop immoral activities.
Earlier, fiber-optic networks were shut down in some provinces like Balkh, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan and Nimroz. But now, the internet shutdown, including mobile networks, has been implemented across the country.
International calls in and out of Afghanistan have become impossible due to the blackout, due to which many families, businesses and aid organizations cannot contact each other.
Local internet providers told the media that the action was taken on the orders of the Taliban. Meanwhile, cybersecurity monitoring organization Netblocks reported that internet connectivity in Afghanistan is at just 14% of normal levels.
The Taliban’s decision will have the biggest impact on women and girls. The Taliban has already banned girls from attending school and university. Therefore, online classes will also be difficult for them.
A student in Kandahar told local media that without Wi-Fi, she will not be able to attend her online English classes. Another girl said, “The internet shutdown will disrupt my coding and graphic design studies.”
The decision will also affect local businesses in Afghanistan. “We are in the 21st century, but it feels like we are going backwards. All my business is online.” Banks, passport offices and government offices will also be affected.
Experts believe the move is an attempt to suppress dissent under the guise of stopping unethical practices. “Such decisions undermine the work of journalists and the public’s right to information,” said Beh Lih Yi, local director of the journalism organization Committee to Protect Journalists, recently.
